Conventional bathtubs and similar containers are provided with two drain openings. The first drain opening is located at the bottom of the tub, while the second opening is located in a sidewall of the tub at a position near the first opening and just below the top of the tub wall. The first drain opening is the main drain opening while the second is an overflow opening.
Various devices, referred to as bathtub wastes, waste apparatus, drains or drain apparatus, are used to receive and control the flow of wastewater through such openings. Many prior devices include a control mechanism at the overflow opening and linkages extending from the control mechanism to allow such mechanism to operate a drain plug either at the main drain opening or in the drain pipe in position to block drainage. This invention relates to devices of this general type.
Prior devices of this type are of two general types: those having a lever which swings toward and away from the bathtub wall (or up and down) to lower or raise the drain plug through suitable linkage; and those having control levers or knobs which are rotated about an axis which intersects the tub wall to open and close the drain. Both types of devices have a number of operational problems and shortcomings.
For example, many of both types of such control devices are frequently difficult to maintain in place. That is, such control devices too easily move away from the intended positions--in which their drain plugs are either fully open or fully closed. Such problems of "creep" or "wandering" can cause unintended drainage when occlusion is desired and/or insufficient drainage when drainage is desired.
Certain control mechanisms for mounting at the overflow opening must be rotated only in one direction to close and the other direction to open the drain. In some cases, this can make the operation of the device more difficult to understand. Furthermore, in such devices the rotating elements are quite prone to wander or creep away from the desired fully open or fully closed position.
In some cases drain mechanisms tend to move too easily away from the proper control position because of an unintended application of force. For example, when a drain plug is in the raised (open) position, it can too easily be moved away from such open position when the drain plug is stepped on, for example, by someone standing in the bathtub for a shower.
Another problem in some prior art devices of the type having a rotationally operated control mechanism is that it is sometimes rather difficult to determine just where the fully open position and fully closed position may be. This is particularly the case for rotational control devices having control knobs which may be rotated in either direction to achieve the desired condition.
Both swinging control levers and rotating control levers and knobs typically form fairly sharp projections or irregular surfaces extending well away from the wall of the tub. These tend to be a nuisance for a person leaning or wanting to lean against the wall of the tub.
Furthermore, such swinging levers and other sharply projecting knobs and levers tend to provide a site for splashing of water discharged into the tub from the tub filling spout above. Many people consider this a nuisance.
Another problem with certain rotatable control knobs is that they are difficult to operate. Insufficient leverage is available for easy operation. This problem is acute for people with no strength in their fingers and people without fingers.
For all of these and other reasons, there is a need for an improved bathtub drain apparatus. In particular, there is a need for an improved rotary bathtub drain control mechanism of the type mountable at the bathtub overflow opening.